The document provides several strategies for coping with change, including accepting that change is inevitable, focusing on controlling your own reactions rather than the changes themselves, staying positive, making a plan, finding opportunities in changes, taking care of yourself through exercise, sleep, and humor, and moving forward rather than dwelling on the past.

1. What’s on the Menu for Change?

2. What are some strategies I can use when encountering and reacting to change?

3. Appetizer Participants stand in a circle (one person in the center.) Each person on the outside will throw a ball to the person in the center. The person in the center must catch as many balls as possible! GOOD LUCK!

4. How did it go? What can we do to make it easier?

5. In life, we cannot control what changes are coming our way. BUT, we can control how we handle them and how we address them. We should use the resources we have and take it one step at a time: we should use each other.

6. The Entrée Think of all of the changes that you have gone through recently- school and/or personal. Change can be fun, scary, uncomfortable, and confusing.

7. Fill Your Plate- 5 min. On the outside edges of your plate write the school and classroom changes that you are experiencing. On the center of the plate, write one (or more) change that you have experienced that has affected you in a positive way.

8. Pass the Plate- 10 min. Just like at a buffet…our plates may not hold the same “changes” as our neighbors. Share your plate with your table Share the changes that you are experiencing. Share the change that you experienced that resulted in a positive outcome for either yourself or your students.

10. STRATEGY FOR CHANGE RECOGNIZE CHANGE REQUIRES YOU TO DEAL WITH LOSS. DOES NOT MATTER IF CHANGE IS YOUR DECISION. EXPECTATIONS SHOCK, ANGER, REJECTION, AND ACCEPTANCE NORMAL FEELINGS / REACTION STRATEGY HUMANS ARE PATTERN ORIENTED DID I MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE?

11. STRATEGY FOR CHANGE ACCEPT STILL GOING TO HAPPEN CONTROL / EMPOWERING GIVES HOPE STAY POSITIVE KEY TO DEALING WITH CHANGE NEGATIVITY WILL DESTROY SELF CONFIDENCE TO PERFORM

12. STRATEGY FOR CHANGE PLAN MAKE A PLAN IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN…DEVELOP YOUR OWN. GET MOVING AND BE INVOLVED IN CARRYING OUT YOUR PLAN

14. Be prepared Life is full of unexpected surprises. The major key to coping with change is to accept the reality of change and its inevitability.

15. Realize there's only one thing you can control – yourself! Empowerment is a key element of change acceptance and change management. When you feel empowered, you will roll with changes.

16. Look for the silver lining of change Remember the adage - Every cloud has a silver lining . Look for the opportunities that you can make use of rather than continuously viewing the change as a deep loss from which time nothing will ever be the same.

17. Leave harping behind you When a change thrusts you into complaining, it can be understandable for a short period of time. Be an Optimist.

18. Move on You cannot remain rooted in the current or a past situation. It may feel comfortable and returning to a habit is always the simpler path of least resistance. Forge on into the future and stand proud. Use what you have learned but don't let it use you.

19. Make time for yourself Eat a balanced diet. Exercise Get enough rest Participate in something you don't find stressful, such as sports, social events or hobbies.

20. Why is exercise useful? Exercise is a good way to deal with stress because it's a healthy way to relieve your pent-up energy and tension. Exercise is known to release feel-good brain chemicals. It also helps you get in better shape, which makes you feel better overall.

21. Sleep Sacrificing sleep just aggravate your stress level. Get adequate shut eye and allow your body to work in optimal condition.

22. Laugh Catch a comedy and laugh your heart out. So laugh more and allow your laughter to overcome stress.

23. What are some strategies I can use when encountering and reacting to change?